by Joanna Neil
‘Alex—huh…he’s a liability.’ Jessica’s tone was scornful. ‘What he needs is a good shaking.’
‘See—we all have our faults.’ Connor yawned and then stretched, as though preparing for action, his movements supple like a tiger’s, and Phoebe watched, unwillingly drawn to follow the way his long body uncoiled.
‘I have to get ready for work,’ he said. ‘Does anyone want a lift in to the hospital?’
‘Oh, yes, please.’ Jessica straightened, preparing to stand up. ‘I’ve been waiting for you to ask. How could anyone resist a spin in that beautiful car?’
He smiled, and glanced at Phoebe. ‘And you? We all finish work around the same time, don’t we?’
She shook her head. ‘I’ll stick with my runabout, thanks. That way I can come and go as I please.’
‘Independent to the last,’ he murmured. ‘One day, Phoebe, one day…’
She had no idea what he meant by that. ‘Yes, one day I’ll find out what it is I truly want,’ she said, ‘and then the world will be my oyster.’
Things certainly weren’t going the way she wanted right now. At work, she struggled every day to come to terms with working with vulnerable babies, and it was no different when she arrived at the hospital a short time later. In fact, it looked as though things were about to get worse.
‘They’re calling for you over in A and E,’ Katie told her as soon as she walked into the neonatology unit.
Phoebe frowned. ‘What’s the problem, do you know?’
‘A traffic accident, as far as I understand it. A woman gave birth prematurely as a result, and it looks as though the baby is in difficulty. The parents are both injured and being treated right now. I think A and E want you to go and help with the baby and bring her over to Neonatology.’
Phoebe sucked in a quick breath. ‘Okay, tell them I’m on my way.’
Things were not going well when she arrived in the A and E department. The parents had been whisked off to the operating theatre, and the paediatric team working with the baby was concerned about the infant’s frail condition.
‘She’s not breathing,’ the nurse said, her expression anxious. ‘I’ve applied suction, but she’s still not responding.’
Phoebe helped to resuscitate the infant. ‘Her heart rate is very slow,’ she said. Already she was reaching for the bag and mask oxygen equipment. After trying to inflate the baby’s lungs for a short time, she shook her head. ‘There’s little chest movement.’ There was a note of urgency in her voice. ‘I’m going to have to put in a tube to help her to breathe. We need to get her on a ventilator as soon as possible.’
It was some half an hour later, after she had linked the infant to a heart monitor and taped a cannula in place at a vein in her arm so that they could administer medication, that she was ready to take her over to the neonatal unit.
‘Poor little scrap,’ the nurse said. ‘What a way to come into the world.’
Phoebe nodded. It was scary to think that her mother and father were both undergoing operations in attempts to save their lives. ‘Let’s hope the parents make a good recovery. As to this little one, her lungs are still immature, and she needs all the help we can give her.’
She glanced into the next treatment bay as she prepared to set off for the lift that would take her up to Neonatal. Connor was there, attending to a young boy of around eight years old, and for a moment she paused, drawn to watch him in action.
The child was distressed and struggling to breathe, and she guessed that he was suffering from a worrying asthma attack. It looked as though he was in a bad state, but Connor was talking quietly to him all the time, his manner gentle and soothing.
‘This will help you, Charlie,’ he was saying. ‘Just relax and try to breathe in and let the medication seep into your lungs. It will help to open up your air passages and make you feel better.’ His voice was calm and evenly modulated, falling softly on Phoebe’s ears, and she realised that there was an almost hypnotic quality about it.
The boy nodded, and Connor glanced down at his football shirt. ‘It looks as though you support the same team that I do,’ he said. ‘They did all right at their last match, didn’t they? Except for Bex having two left feet and falling over his boots. I don’t know where his head was that day, but it wasn’t with him on the pitch, was it?’
The boy chuckled, and Connor went on, ‘Mind you, he made up for it with the penalty shot. Talk about whacking it in. It hit the back of the net so hard I thought the goalposts were going to tip over.’
Charlie appeared to relax. His breathing was much easier now, and Phoebe could see that he was almost out of danger. Clearly, Charlie was in good hands.
Connor turned and glanced towards her as she started on her way once more. She nodded to him and he gave her the thumbs-up sign.
‘Hi, there, Phoebe,’ he said cheerfully. ‘How about supper in the hospital restaurant later on, since you stood me up the other day? Jessica said she’d try to drop by around seven o’clock, and Alex is hoping he’ll be free by then.’
‘That sounds okay,’ she agreed. It would be good to catch up with Alex and find out if he was coping with Orthopaedics any better. Lately, with their different shift patterns, they had been like ships that passed in the night. ‘I’ll see if I can get away.’ She glanced at the baby in the incubator. There were no signs of respiratory distress, but her heart rate was still slow, and her oxygen saturation could have been better. ‘I have to go,’ she said. ‘This baby’s had a hard time coming into the world, and I need to get her up to the unit as quickly as possible.’
‘I heard about that,’ he murmured. ‘I’ll see you later.’
As she moved away, she heard him say to the boy, ‘Now, there goes one very pretty doctor, don’t you think? She almost makes me wish I was ill so that she could come and pat my brow with a damp cloth.’
The boy giggled.
Phoebe went on her way. The man was incorrigible, but he certainly had a magic touch where the boy was concerned.
She was more than ready for her break when suppertime came around. The baby had been suffering from seizures, and they were all worried for her safety.
‘You go off and get something to eat,’ Katie told her. ‘You’ve been on duty for hours, and it will do nobody any good if you start to wilt. It’s quiet enough around here for the moment.’
Phoebe acknowledged the truth of that, and made her way down to the restaurant on the ground floor. Connor was already in there. He looked as fresh and energetic as if he had only just come on duty, and it was all she could do not to scowl at him. ‘I don’t know how you manage it,’ she said. ‘How do you stay so jaunty and unruffled? It’s as though nothing touches you.’
‘It comes from years of practice.’ He nodded towards the glass doors at the side of the restaurant. ‘Shall we go and sit out there? There aren’t too many people in the courtyard just now. It will be peaceful.’
‘Okay. I’ll come and join you just as soon as I’ve collected my food.’ There was no sign of Jessica or Alex, and it was already after seven o’clock. Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to make it down.
She chose a light cheese salad with crusty bread and a fruit tart to follow. Connor cast a swift glance over her tray as she set it down on the table. ‘It’s no wonder that you never put on any weight,’ he said. ‘You don’t eat enough to keep a sparrow alive.’
She gave him a withering smile. ‘Unlike you. I don’t know where you put it all—and yet you never add an ounce of fat to your waistline, do you? You’re all lean and fit, as though you’ve just come from working out in the gym.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘In fact, I suspect that’s what you do. Otherwise, it’s just not fair.’
He laughed, and stabbed his fork into a substantial cottage pie. His gaze wandered over her, taking in the fullness of her curves beneath the light cotton top she was wearing, and then drifted down over her narrow-fitting skirt to explore the length of her shapely legs. ‘It has to be said, though you’d sti
ll look good even with extra padding.’
Her cheeks heated under that appreciative scrutiny. To distract herself from the hectic play of emotions that he evoked in her, she fixed him with an exasperated stare. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what you do all the time…you lead people astray. It’s what you did when you encouraged your friends to stay out all night on Exmoor, and it’s what you did when you produced those bottles of cider a few weeks after you turned sixteen. You shared them among your friends. No thought for the consequences, just live for the moment.’ She glowered at him. ‘Just try telling Jessica to pile on the pounds, and she’ll give you short shrift.’
He paused, his fork midway between his plate and his mouth. ‘Now, there you have one lady I wouldn’t like to cross.’ He nodded, a brooding expression on his face. ‘When she gets that look in her eyes, I know she means business.’
Phoebe took a sip of her coffee. ‘I doubt a little bit of trouble would bother you. I heard that you were still causing mayhem, even here in the hospital.’
His brows lifted. ‘You must have me confused with someone else. What kind of mayhem would I be causing?’
‘There was a rumour going round about you trying to change how things were organised around here—something about improving waiting times and persuading doctors to treat more patients.’ She frowned. ‘It seems to me that you’re quite likely to be treading on toes with that kind of venture. Didn’t you have a word with Mr Kirk about the waiting list for some of the cardiology patients?’
His eyes widened. ‘Word certainly gets around in this place, doesn’t it? Why should it matter if I decide to have a chat with a few people?’
‘You know very well why. The consultants won’t like it if you start making waves. You’re still a junior doctor as far as they’re concerned. Besides, you don’t even work in cardiology.’
He shrugged, and speared broccoli with his fork. ‘I don’t see the point in keeping quiet when I know that things can be put right. We have theatres that aren’t in use at the weekend. How many more patients could be treated all the sooner if we made proper use of the facilities?’
She made a wry smile. ‘So, if you became a consultant, you’d be prepared to give up your weekends and spend them working in Theatre or seeing patients, would you?’
‘Of course. It goes without saying. You bring in a rota system and keep things moving. There’s too much inertia holding people back. What we need is to bring about change and shake things up.’
‘Hmm. You won’t last long in the medical profession if you go about rattling cages like that. There are some powerful people running the hospitals, and they won’t thank you for stirring things up.’ She sent him a thoughtful glance. ‘Perhaps you should wait until you’re a fully fledged consultant yourself before you start getting up people’s noses.’
‘Nah. That would be totally boring, and I doubt I could wait that long.’ He pushed his empty plate to one side and reached for his apple pie. ‘I leave it to people like you, Missy Play Safe, to follow the rules and support the status quo.’
She pretended to be affronted. ‘Well, thanks a lot for that. If you’re going to be insulting I’ll have to think twice about joining you for supper another time.’ She frowned. ‘And don’t think I haven’t sussed out that I’m here under false pretences. Jessica and Alex aren’t going to put in an appearance, are they?’
‘Ah…’ A momentary flush of guilt washed over his face. ‘I meant to tell you about that. Jess has been asked to help out in Theatre with a cardiac case—the man who was involved in the accident earlier today—and Alex is looking after the woman who gave birth to the little girl who’s up in Neonatal. She suffered a leg injury, among other things, in the crash, and they’re keeping her under observation.’
She gave a heavy sigh. ‘It’s a tragedy, isn’t it? Three lives devastated.’
‘It is…but with any luck they’ll come through this in one piece, eventually.’
‘I hope so.’ She winced. ‘The baby isn’t doing so well. She needs specialist help, and the consultant is thinking of transferring her to the children’s hospital in Somerset.’
He nodded. ‘Yes, I heard that. I spoke to my boss about it, and it looks as though they’ll be assembling a neonatal transport team to take her over there. It’s possible I’ll be part of it. My rotation is supposed to cover the full spectrum of paediatric A and E so that would be another one to notch up for my specialist training.’
She looked at him and blinked, trying to take that in. Her name was already down to be part of that team…which could only mean that they would be travelling together. That was not good news.
She kept her feelings to herself. ‘Alex would have given anything to be able to do that.’
Connor’s glance trailed over her. ‘Yes, well, I’m sorry that I took his job from him. It wasn’t personal. I know you wanted to work with him, but I’m afraid it looks as though you’re going to be stuck with me. Our paths are likely to cross on a regular basis, given the nature of the rotation.’
He discarded his spoon in his now empty dessert bowl. ‘Perhaps I could make up for whatever it is I’ve done wrong, or may do wrong at some time in the future, by taking you out somewhere special. It’ll be late when we finish here tonight, but we could go and try out the new Blue Bay Club, if you like. It’s open till the small hours, and neither of us has to work until tomorrow afternoon, do we?’
She shook her head. ‘Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think I’ll take you up on it this time,’ she murmured. ‘Alex asked if I would drive him home later. His car is being serviced, and we were planning on stopping off at the Griddle Bar for half an hour or so after work.’
Connor’s mouth twisted. ‘I thought it strange that you weren’t too worried about him not putting in an appearance. I always seem to come in too late, don’t I? How about if I book a date with you for tomorrow and maybe another one for the day after that?’ He spooned sugar into his cup and began to stir the coffee. ‘I suppose you’ve already made arrangements for then, too, haven’t you?’
She gave him a thoughtful glance. ‘As it happens, I have, but that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to you, should it? After all, you were the one who called me Missy Play Safe. Perhaps you ought to familiarise yourself with my other title, Missy All Planned Out. That way, you’ll always know what to expect, won’t you?’
His mouth took on a rueful expression as he watched her over his coffee-cup, and Phoebe smiled as she tasted her fruit tart. Was he finally getting the message?
Somehow, it was a bitter-sweet victory.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘SO, IS your car running smoothly now?’ Phoebe met up with Alex as they both headed for the doctors’ lounge. ‘Has the garage mechanic managed to sort everything out for you?’
‘Yes, he has, and it’s good,’ he said, nodding and pushing open the door for her. ‘Not that it will ever match up to Connor’s speed fiend.’ His eyes narrowed and he looked thoroughly put out. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever be green with envy, but if you were to colour me all over in grass, spinach and lime jelly with emerald sprinkles, then you have it. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.’
She laughed. ‘Poor Alex. What are we going to do with you? Nothing ever goes quite the way it should, does it?’ She went over to the worktop at the side of the room and lifted up the coffee-pot. ‘Tell me you’re getting on better in Orthopaedics, at least.’
‘It isn’t too bad, I suppose.’ He came to stand beside her and pulled two mugs down from a shelf. ‘I’ve been putting in extra hours on the job to cover for people on sick leave, and that seems to have gone down fairly well with my boss. I’m just a bit worried because I’ve been pulled out of the training day seminars on a couple of occasions to attend emergencies, and that’s not going to bode well for my monthly review meeting.’
Connor must have come into the room while they were pouring coffee, because he appeared alongside them and said, ‘Training day
s are supposed to be protected. You should talk to your consultant about that.’
‘Oh, sure, and he’s going to have me down as a complainer, isn’t he? Where will that leave me when the references are being written?’
Connor shrugged and helped himself to coffee. ‘Sometimes you have to make a stand, and stick up for what’s right.’
‘Yeah, right. Coming from someone who can always fall back on Daddy’s money to keep him going if the worst comes to the worst, I’d say that was rich—if you’ll forgive the pun.’
‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,’ Connor murmured. ‘I don’t rely on my father for anything, least of all his money. What I have is mine through my own endeavours.’
‘Did I get it all wrong?’ Disgruntled, Alex took his coffee over to the window and gazed out briefly at the landscaped gardens, before turning around once more. ‘Sorry…but you seem to have done pretty well for yourself, all the same. And you always land on your feet, don’t you?’ Alex’s eyes took on a mischievous glint. ‘I couldn’t help noticing that the new senior house officer in children’s A and E—Lisa, is it?—was bowled over with your flash car. I heard you had taken her out in it.’
‘She needed a lift home.’ Connor’s gaze was thoughtful. ‘Is that a problem for you?’
Alex’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘Take no notice of me. It’s pure sour grapes. I’m just jealous because I don’t have a sleek roadster for myself. It’s my own fault. I should have worked harder…or invested in oil when the price was right.’
He drank his coffee and threw Connor a mischievous glance. ‘Things worked out all right for you with Lisa, though, didn’t they? I heard you and she were all cosied up in her new house last night. Nice one.’
‘You don’t miss much, do you?’ Connor fixed him with a steady gaze. ‘Or is this the hospital grapevine working at full speed?’
Alex chuckled. ‘You know how it is. The nurses work with the senior house officers, and there’s a bit of gossip here and a long chat there…Before you know it, all your secrets are aired.’
